In chemistry a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances. In such a mixture, a solute is dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent. All solutions are characterized by interactions between the solvent phase and solute molecules or ions.
Many types of solutions exist, as solids, liquids and gases can be both solvent and solute, in any combination:
Examples of solutions
Solute
Gas
Liquid
Solid
Solvent
Gas
Oxygen and other gases in nitrogen (air)
Water vapor in air
Naphthalene slowly sublimes in air, going into solution.
Liquid
Carbon dioxide in water (carbonated water; the visible bubbles, however, are not the dissolved gas, but only an effervescence; the dissolved gas itself is not visible in the solution)
Ethanol (common alcohol) in water; various hydrocarbons in each other (petroleum)
Sucrose (table sugar) in water; sodium chloride (table salt) in water; gold in mercury, forming an amalgam
Solid
Hydrogen dissolves rather well in metals; platinum has been studied as a storage medium.
Hexane in paraffin wax, mercury in gold.
Steel, aluminum, other metal alloys
The ability of one compound to dissolve in another compound is called solubility. There are several ways to quantify the amount of one compound dissolved in the other compounds collectively called concentration. Examples of several methods include molarity, % composition and parts per million (ppm).
Many types of solutions exist, as solids, liquids and gases can be both solvent and solute, in any combination:
The ability of one compound to dissolve in another compound is called solubility. There are several ways to quantify the amount of one compound dissolved in the other compounds collectively called concentration. Examples of several methods include molarity, % composition and parts per million (ppm).
Read pp.123-133 p.126 #1-3; p.128 #4-7; p.129 #8-11; p.131 #12-15; p.133 #16-18